OCD Resources
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What Is OCD?
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common, chronic, and long-lasting disorder in which a person has uncontrollable, reoccurring thoughts (“obsessions”) and/or behaviors (“compulsions”) that he or she feels the urge to repeat over and over.
Some individuals with OCD also have a tic disorder. Motor tics are sudden, brief, repetitive movements, such as eye blinking and other eye movements, facial grimacing, shoulder shrugging, and head or shoulder jerking. Common vocal tics include repetitive throat-clearing, sniffing, or grunting sounds.
Symptoms may come and go, ease over time, or worsen. People with OCD may try to help themselves by avoiding situations that trigger their obsessions, or they may use alcohol or drugs to calm themselves. Although most adults with OCD recognize that what they are doing doesn’t make sense, some adults and most children may not realize that their behavior is out of the ordinary. Parents or teachers typically recognize OCD symptoms in children.
via the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
What Are the Symptoms?
- Fear of germs or contamination
- Unwanted forbidden or taboo thoughts involving sex, religion, or harm
- Aggressive thoughts towards oneself and others
- A need to have things symmetrical or in a perfect order
- Excessive cleaning and/or handwashing
- Ordering or arranging things in a precise way
- Repeatedly checking on things, such as a door being locked or oven being off
- Compulsive counting
- Inability to control excessive thoughts or behaviors
- Experiences significant problems in daily life due to excessive thoughts and behaviors
About OCD
